


I Don't Want To Be Lonely

by RockingTheGraveyard



Category: One Piece
Genre: Anxiety, Biting, Not heavily detailed, Scratching, Self-Harm, Suicidal Ideation, an all around 'oof' kind of story, worries of another's suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 03:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16735944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockingTheGraveyard/pseuds/RockingTheGraveyard
Summary: When words hit close to home, Sabo worries for the fate of his only friend.





	I Don't Want To Be Lonely

Sabo tapped his foot restlessly with his arms crossed tightly. He leaned against the old wooden wall of the warn down bar. Pointedly ignoring the loud racket of breaking glass and the shouts of angry men inside. He had promised Ace he wouldn't interfere. That if he tagged along this time he would wait outside. Ace got pissy when he followed Ace to the port bar. It wasn't like Sabo didn't know why he went, what he was asking, what often happened. Sabo didn't like it but there was no stopping Ace so the least he could do, when he caught Ace, was to not let him go alone. 

Which is was only part of the problem in Ace’s eyes. The main one was that Sabo kept and stepping in on the fight, would join in if the men got too many hits on him. Sabo always got bitched at afterward but it was one less bandage, one less bruise, cut or stitch and that was worth it. But Ace was angry today and he shoved Sabo against the wall and demanded he'd stay outside this time. 

Sabo obliged, a bit caught off guard by the sudden outburst. But he listened. Ace would never call for help but Sabo would be ready just in case. However, as the clashing was dying down there was sudden silence that rose the hairs on the back of his neck. Sabo learned fast you didn't ignore a gut feeling out here and quickly ran in. 

Inside, a man was looming over Ace, pinning him to the table by his throat. Hitting Sabo just how small he, how small they, still were as Ace kicked wildly and clawed at the steel grip. The man with his bloody nose and split lip snorted and before Sabo could jump in, he lifted Ace and tossed him aside. Ace’s cry was cut short when his back met the edge of another table. 

“You're not worth it, ya little fucking bastard.” The man spat as he wiped his nose, cursing more at the blood smeared on his hand. “You could die here and not a goddamn person would care! Just a rotting corpse among the trash.” Sabo gritted his teeth and raced towards him, catching the man in the temple as he turned and falling hard. He didn't waste any time running to Ace who coughed as he fought to regain his breath. 

He doesn't fight Sabo when Sabo slung Ace’s arm on his shoulder and didn't argue when he ushered them out. Not wanting to be around when the man found himself. And it was worrying, how Ace was quiet aside from the cough that shook his thin frame. No yelling, no cursing, no telling Sabo off for getting in the way. Something coiled in his gut the way he didn't even look at Sabo as he guided them to his little home on the edge of the forest. 

For a moment Sabo had hoped that Ace would even let him patch up the cuts on his forehead, arm and hand. Maybe even stay the night, like he so rarely did. But as soon as they reach the little makeshift hideaway Ace pushed away from him. It didn't even seem like he was going to rest as he began to walk into the forest. 

“Hey-” Sabo grabbed his hand “-at least catch your breath. I've got some spare banda-” He was cut off when Ace wretched his hand away. 

“I'm fine!” Ace snarled, not even turned to look at him. The coil tightens as Ace marched off. Them man’s words echoing in his head. 

“I'd care!” Sabo shouted just as Ace reached the tree line, halting him in his tracks. Ace didn't turn but as he stood there, his head turned back slightly. Sabo bit the inside of his cheeks, unable to bring himself to step forward. “I'd care.” He repeated quieter. 

It was quiet as Ace just stood there. Sabo didn't know if he was waiting for more, didn't know what else to say. As he was wracking his brain, Ace face forward and walked off without a word. Sabo dug his nails into his palms as he watched Ace go. Stood there for who knows how long when Ace disappeared from sight.

Finally walking into his tiny hideaway, Sabo slumped in blankets he'd gather of the years, knowing he wouldn't get much sleep. Possibly no sleep by the way his mind and heart raced. Staring into darkness as the crippling loneliness crashed own hard over him. A small voice whispering that he better get used to it. That it was only a matter of time until it was just him. Until Ace wasn't around anymore. Whispering that it won't be the cause of a fight. That one day Ace will just stop coming and he'll know why. 

Sabo was terrified. Sitting in the dark, stifling the cries he couldn’t fight alone in the dead of night. Nails digging into skin as he scratched his arm. He didn't want to be all alone. He shouldn’t have let Ace leave, should have followed him. He cared! Sabo care so much and he was so very scared Ace wouldn't see it. That in the end, it wouldn't be enough. 

But somewhere along the flood of thoughts one quieted the others. A thought that said softly but determined, that if Ace were to disappear. Sabo would too. Sabo knew he shouldn't of found peace with that thought. Knew a part of him still wasn't by the way he held his arms tightly against himself. But it was enough to let the exhaustion wash over him. 

When he opened his eyes again. Sabo was surprised how much sleep he managed to get in. Hearing the birds singing and seeing the sun shine through the cracks of his home. Or maybe he had stayed awake longer than he thought. Regardless, Sabo was still bone deep tired and knew without having to even see his reflection, that the purple would be vividly present under is brown eyes. 

Slowly, Sabo pushed away the blanket tangled at his feet. He pushed himself up, grabbed his belt, boots and coat he doesn't remember discarding last night and walking out, blinking against the blinding morning light. He dragged his feet as he walked to the edge of the forest, the same place Ace walked to the night before, and plopped down on a log. 

In slow movements he pulled on his boots. Wove his belt through the loops of his shorts. With stinging, tired eyes, Sabo stared into the green brush as he pulled on his coat and rolled down the sleeves. Fighting the urge to pick at the scabs now under them. He didn't know how long he sat there just waiting. But as the sudden rustle of leaves and snapping twigs. Sabo felt like breathing became easy again at the sight of Ace emerging from the noise. 

It's was apparent Ace had about the same kind of night as Sabo. His eyelids hung lower and the purple circles were darker. His bottom lip was red and swollen. With the left side bearing a new scab. And dark purple and blue bites were scattered over his forearms. 

But his brow was relaxed and his cuts were bandaged. The bandits work. Ace could bandage up Sabo with ease but he was shit at bandaging himself. He didn't care to do so. His mind unhelpfully supplied. Sabo was broken from his thoughts when Ace sat next to him with a sigh. 

“You look like shit.” He remarked, Ace yet to look at him. Sabo snorted. 

“You look like you got your ass beat in a stupid bar.” They never did pull punches. Sabo wasn't going to start now. 

“Well at least a dumb little animal didn't scratch the shit outta my arm.” Sabo looked down to see his sleeve had been pushed up. Not realizing he'd been picking at one of the scabs. He gently pushed the sleeve back down. 

“Better scratches than gross slimy bites.” Ace huffed and elbowed his arm. Sabo roughly bumping his shoulder. He didn't pull away, letting his shoulder rest against Ace’s. Sabo knew he was aware of it but if he was going to let it be, Sabo wouldn't say anything. The silence they sat in suddenly feeling more comfortable. 

“Here.” Sabo blinked at the bag that had been abruptly shoved in his view. Slowly Sabo took and bag and opened it. “Some of’th bandits complained I didn't bring anything back last night so I stole most of the rice this morning.” Sabo looked at the rice clumped in the bag and then back to Ace. Facing forward but eying him. 

“I can have this?” Ace just scoffed and rolled his eyes in a dramatic fashion. Sabo smiled, just a bit. “Thank you” and ate by the fistful. He held out the bag enough for Ace to reach but he never did. They just sat there shoulder to shoulder as Sabo ate. And much to Sabo’s surprise. When he was done Ace pulled away and socked him in the arm. 

“Ow! What was that for ass-”

“Thank you.” 

Sabo froze and stared at Ace. Who stood up, standing with his back to Sabo. He thought about last night the crushing weight and the finalized decision. And he stood up himself, determined. 

“Hey” Ace turned to look at him with his face carefully blank. “ It's you and me, against the world-” Sabo held up his hand “-where you go, I go.” Ace held his eyes for a minute before looking to Sabo’s hand. His brows knitting together betraying his emotion. 

Sabo silently vowed things would get better. With him, Ace wasn't alone. And with Ace, he wasn't alone. Sabo would make make things better. Ace hardened his gaze and nodded, understand Sabo's conviction. 

“Together.” Ace said, clasping their hands together. Tan hand connected to a bruised, bitten arm, firmly holding onto the the pale one covered in scabbed scratches. Ace, in the confines of his own mind promising himself things with gets better. Together, for Sabo, Ace will make things better.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry if it's not written very well (I do actually try surprisingly enough) and that's kind of heavy. But Reviews are always appreciated.


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